Wedding Blog
Wow, that was stupid.
Mr. Bear Cub and I were out on our weekly super-long Saturday marathon training run (you don’t want to know how many miles), and Mr. Sunshine (not to be confused with Mr. Sunbeam!) decided to peek his little head out of the clouds.
Ladies, we have two weeks until our wedding. I now look like a raccoon.
ALWAYS
WEAR
SUNBLOCK
TWO WEEKS. TWO WEEKS!!!! I don’t particularly want to be sporting the ’coon eyes on our wedding day!!!
… Although, I am quite a sexy raccoon!
(sexy raccoon)
Seriously, these are about the worst burn lines one could hope for. If I was wearing sunny-gs, you’d think I would have thought to wear sunblock, eh?
Comes with complimentary neck-burn!
It gets worse:
Halfway through the run, I rolled up my sleeves a bit. Ruh-roh! Bear Cub has sleeve lines! Sad Bear Cub. 
I’m no stranger to burns - normally I wear SPF 50+!! The last time I got a bad burn (worse than this), the burn line lasted for about 5 months.
Our wedding is in 2 weeks.
In the meantime, I’m slathering on the aloe, drinking lots of water, and taking some ibuprofen!
How long do you think it will take before the burn fades to my normal lovely pale skin?? What’s your fool-proof method to reducing/minimizing burn and tan lines?
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I would recommend a good exfoliating scrub. That might help..but I would wait a few days for the skin to recover. Other than that, I can’t help much..my burns fade pretty fast. Good luck!!
This makes me think of the line from ‘The Wedding Planner’… “Half a cup of salt, half a cup of lemon juice, and a loofa. Scrub, scrub, scrub.” But being that this is sunburn not self tanner… ow! Still exfoliating will help once your skin isn’t so tender.
Oh, and a sunburn trick (I’ve had my fair share of bad ones)… try some tea bags soaked in cool water… dab over the red areas… it helps soothe the burning feeling. Seriously. Regular old Lipton tea bags!
And if the tan lines don’t fade, maybe a spray tan would help even it out? Good luck!
Try putting apple cider vinegar on your sunburn before bed! Even though you might smell, it should help take the red out.
Have a great salt scrub and read a book while you cool this burn off! Good luck bear cub, everything will work out 
I use Hawaiian Tropic Aloe + Lotion which helps turn my burned skin to a slight pinkish tan instead of peeling all over and it smells yummy!
And I have definitely heard of people getting a custom spray tan to cover tan lines, but I would do that after a week or so.
Good luck!
when i got burnt a few months ago, i tried the apple cider vinegar and the FH was not happy he actually opted to sleep on the sofa instead!
shiseido has a ton of lightening products (catered to Asians obsessed w/ whitened/paler skin) but im not sure if 2 weeks is sufficient to see results?
what about going to dermatologist? good luck and AIR hug!
oh no! i don’t have any tips but i hope you’re able to fade it enough before your wedding!
Aww!! I suffered a severe burn all over this summer - I was seriously on the couch for 2 days straight unable to do anything. Now my arms have a couple of wacky lines on them, but otherwise the weird tan lines won’s show with my dress.
Anyway, Mr. S combined baking soda and water and made sort of a paste. It helped with my pain and drawing the heat out, but even if you’re not it pain, it might help the skin recover. Good luck!!!
well, atleast you werent like my mom and smother “Sun Tan” lotion on us instead of “Sun Block” and wonder why we looked so toasty all the time when we were kids
maybe you can buy some self tanning lotion and put it over the burn. I have some stuff by nivea or jergens I think that is supposed to just bring out a light glow in your skin. It works really well. I wouldnt recommend going with the full blown self tanning lotion because that will probably be too dark, but the light natural glow stuff might work well.
Also, you should make sure the wear sunblock from now on! I have skin that is very similar to yours. I got one bad burn like yours a few years ago, and last year I had skin cancer (probably as a result of that bad burn). It would have been way easier for me to put the sunblock on than go through 2 surgeries and doctor appts to remove the skin cancer.
I’m an as pale as pale can be redhead. Apple Cider Vinegar, like crazy! Soak paper towels in it and lay it over the burned areas. And never scrub, scrub, scrub!!!! If you have aloe vera (the plant is better than the gel), that works wonders for remoisturizing the burned areas. Cocoa butter, too. Good luck!!!
Oh man. I have no advice - I would have suggested aloe, so you’ve got that covered - but try thinking “AT LEAST it’s 2 weeks and not just one!” I’m sure it will have faded a lot by then. Your face will have foundation, anyway, so don’t worry about that bit, at least…
Your poor thing! My fiance burned just like you on our recent trip to Hawaii. I slabbed some unrefined shea butter on him every few hours and he healed very, very quickly. We saw results the next day! His skin was moisturized wasn’t nearly as pink as the first day. I purchased mine from Coastal Scents (http://www.coastalscents.com/cfwebstore/index.cfm/product/23_105/unrefined-african-shea-butter.cfm) Good luck!
Are you hiring someone to do your makeup? They might be able to help you with the raccoon eyes (which don’t look bad!). OR, you could just go to a makeup counter and ask what advice they have. But maybe wait a week and see how you look then. Chin up, it’ll be ok!
Oh no! I’m sorry; you must in such pain!! I’m actually thinking spray tan at this point… You can’t exfoliate all that away and aloe, etc. will only soothe burning, not remove redness… At least maybe some tinted mosturizer?
I hate to tell you this, but my husband went biking Spring before last and you can STILL see the tan lines he got from his jersey burn. He gets darker, but since he was sooo burned on the bottom of his arms, the top of his arms and chest haven’t caught up. Maybe you could use some of that Jergens tanning lotion for the next couple of weeks and that would kind of even it out? Just use it on the part that didn’t get burned, of course.
The raccoon eyes don’t look that bad and have it’s not red anymore, I think you can cover it up with makeup! Drinks lots of water and get some Burt’s Bees After Sun lotion, it’s the best.
I second Kate’s suggestion–try the Burt’s Bees After Sun lotion. You want to try to keep your skin as hydrated as possible to try to prevent it from peeling. Also, try either Jergens Natural Glow or Olay Touch of Sun for just a touch of color on the other places where you didn’t get sun exposure. That might even you out a little. Are you getting your makeup done on the day of the wedding? They should be able to cover up some of the redness.
I was just going to suggest what everyone else did - the Jergens Natural Glow for light skin really works. I would make sure to put it on all the areas (even the burned ones!) because that’s always helped me to even out. Also, just keep the sunburn really really well moisturized. If it didn’t take too long to ship, I would also recommend the Maui Babe After Sun lotion (http://www.mauibabe.com/order1.php). It has aloe and vitamins and a ton of other stuff in it supposedly used by “old Hawaiians and Polynesians” to repair skin from sun, wind, and water damage. It works really well for me.
I’ve heard lavender extract is amazing for sunburn.
When I burn like that, it takes a week for the burn to fade and then I start peeling - so it’s two weeks and then I’m back to normal. And I’ve never met anybody who took longer than i do to recover.
If you are super super super diligent about moisturizing, it will probably not peel as much. Moisturize at least every hour and it should help. Aloe is good as are a lot of the after-sun lotions.
I would say give it a week/wait until the red has faded and then you can go ahead and exfoliate.
Don’t sweat the raccoon eyes - makeup will take care of it.
Also take an ibuprofen to help relieve the pain! And whatever you do, don’t take cold showers or put ice/water on it - it will just dry the skin out more.
I’ll echo what others are saying - a spray tan to even things out. I’d wait a week, get some recommendations from friends and go in for a consult. Good luck!
Makeup will take care of raccoon eyes!
Go to Bath & Body Works and get their “Hold It Right There” lotion - I promise, it will do the trick!! When I went on my cruise a few weeks ago I got horribly sunburned, but I put that stuff on a few times a day and within two or three days it had faded to a perfect tan (that I still have!)
Oh no! That is my wedding nightmare. Maybe one of the reasons I decided on a january wedding. Are you having a professional make up artist? For my friend’s wedding, her makeup artist was able to get rid of tan lines on shoulders with makeup and it looked natural and covered them up quite well.
I fried myself yesterday, so I have been trying to get the redness down too. The redness will be gone by your wedding with ice, aloe, and ibprofen. In a few days when the pain subsides, exfoliate. You will be somewhat uneven so work on smoothing out the spots where you have really bad tan lines. Can you see that I did the same thing right before my friend’s wedding??? Good luck! Regardless, your wedding is going to be amazing. I can’t wait to see the pictures!
ocean potion ice gel keep it in the fridge for a few hours and apply liberally. take an ASPIRIN (if you’re not allergic) once a day. drink water. ocean potion ice gel. aspirin and water. And you might want to tell whoever is doing your makeup about it and give the photographer a headsup…my skin was peeling off when I went to look for wedding dresses and my best friend told me “you better not even think of experimenting with tanners the week before your wedding!” I showed up to her wedding with a brand new tanning bed burn. I dn’t know about the salt scrubs wouldn’t that really hurt?!
Depending on how bad it is, I would suggest using a burn salve. A few years ago I burned badly enough to blister and the Doctor recommended Aquaphor. Good luck!
It doesn’t look that bad!!! And you’re having an outdoor, natural wedding, not some formal cathedral affair, so a little sunburn will not look weird. I bet after two weeks, it will have healed and faded enough that a light makeup application will even it out just fine. Smile brightly and no one will notice!
I second the aloe vera plant if you have access to it, and you could even try some vitamin E to add extra moisture. I just poke a hole in a vitamin E capsule and add it to the peel prone area.
In my experience, burns usually fade within a few days to a week, so I think you should be fine…although I’m sure it can vary depending on skin type.
Also, I’d like to remind everyone that Bear Cub lives in South America! I’m assuming it’s not that easy for her to run out and get Jergens/Burts Bees/Bath and Body Works products. (Although if you’re coming back to the States next week for the wedding and still have burn lines maybe these products will be worth a shot.)
In the mean time, I say relax, and know that makeup should be able to help on the wedding day.
Exfoliate every day! But don’t rub too hard or you can cause irritation. Your face lines should fade better then the body ones. Use an after sun lotion, aloe helps with burns but may not do much for evening out lines.
For a wedding I was in my neck/shoulders lines were still too noticeable after a month so I had to get a spray tan - but boy did I look great in those pictures! I also used some bronzing powder but this could end up on your dress so I would stay away from that.
I worked at a tanning bed for a while in college, and I would say after the pain has reduced to where its not actually hurting switch from the aloe to a water based lotion. hemp is a good brand and available at places like ulta or sally beauty, or any moisturizers (not tanning lotion, just the regular) sold at tanning salons. The water based will work a lot better then jergens or your regular oil based because it let’s your skin breathe and heal faster. And it won’t be as likely to clog your pores especially since its on your face! Good luck love! I know you will look great no matter what!
Vitamin E!! Just get a big bottle and break open the capsules…it encourages really fast skin turnaround, you’d be amazed at how quickly your skin will heal itself. It will be unnoticeable after 2 weeks with a tiny bit of makeup.
You should be OK in 2 weeks!
MOISTURIZE. This will help keep you from peeling. But when you do (or if, but probably when), exfoliate. I think it should be done by the end of week 2.
Also… I’m sorry, but… HAHAHAHAHA. This post was too funny!
Aveeno do a fantastic face cream that’s supposed to reduce redness … and it works really well on sunburn! It’e the one that’s meant to have a calming effect on your skin.
Miss Bear Cub… I saw this exact thing on the today show this morning. Makeup artist Eve Pearl gave some GREAT suggestions for uneven tanlines, burns, etc. You definitely should check this out. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/32676028/ns/today-today_fashion_and_beauty/
Ps… my fi is doing the marine corps marathon at the end of Oct in DC and did a 18 mile run yesterday, so i’m sure you training is making you do crazy long runs too! good luck!
@Miss Cloud: Where the !@#$ were you during our run? needy the protection of clouds from evil south american sun rays!
Sorry Ms. Cloud. I take it back. You are really sweet, and give the earth rain. Except sometimes bearcubs get sunburns when you decide to go on vacation.
[...] Special thanks to Miss Bear Cub, of Weddingbee for inspiring the visual aspect of this entry. [...]
I just got a decent spray tan for $35, that would probably cover it up. You can also try exfoliating, I usually use white table sugar and honey mixed together and it really smoothes out my skin.
Awww… I think any outcome will be fine in two weeks. You can try some of these suggested remedies, but don’t stress.
I’ve got so many sports bra/tank top/racerback/bikini top lines that it’s ridiculous. I wear sunscreen, but I tan in about 3 minutes. My dress is showing quite a bit of back, I’m trying to even them out this summer, but I can only do what I can do. Makeup can fix you up for the big day. Don’t worry, you’ll still be gorgeous.
Oh my goodness! Poor Bear Cub. Don’t worry, the worst of the burn will heal in plenty of time, and it doesn’t seem like anything some good make-up can’t take care of.
Ok, so I burn badly all the time, even wearing SPF 65 (waterbabies). It usually takes a few weeks for the burn to really go away, but here are a few of my tried and true burn-fighting tips:
1) When you’re in the shower, slowly turn up the water as hot as you can possibly stand it. Really. HOTT!! This will force your pores open and hydrate them. As soon as you get out of the shower, slather yourself with Aveeno Cool Relief lotion. It contains eucalyptus and soy. The soy will help hydrate and heal your skin, the eucalyptus will help it feel cool.
2) Ibuprofen, like you’re doing.
3) SUNSCREEN! HATS!! Longsleeve linen. Keep the burns as covered as you can to shield them from the sun and help them heal.
4) LOTS of water. As much as you can.
5) Reapply lotion every few hours. Aloe works, but lotions like Aveeno I find are better.
I second a lot of these ideas- after sun lotion is great, and I love awapuhi (sp??) if you can find it- it’s from Hawaii and amaaaazing. I used it on a horrific burn to my face and shoulders, and it went from burn to tan in maybe a day and a half.
Good luck1
Miss Bear Cub, I am in a similar situation, although I got this HORRIBLE farmer’s tan back in MAY and it is still extremely noticeable! It’s faded slightly, but I’ve been exfoliating like crazy and it still won’t go away. I am getting married in 2 months and I’m starting to stress really bad about it. I didn’t even burn that badly, but I have very fair skin that scars really easily, and I think that combo is ripe for tans that never fade.
Good luck, I’m sure you will look gorgeous no matter what happens!
Oh no!!! Been there done that. awapuhi is a great suggestion–my parents use that stuff and they are super sun bakers.
As for your face, keep in mind that I don’t think it looks awful in pictures (and probably looks bad in person) but a good makeup artist can even that out. A tanning spray or lotion should help blend in your arms, too! Or, cover up your arms in a tanning bed! ha! I MAY have done that.
Oh no! I don’t have any suggestions…except to MOISTURIZE!!
My sister is an esthetician and she suggested the following:
Absolutely no scrubbing!
Over the counter Betadine should help. It’s good with burns too. The tea bag in cool water sounds like a good idea. Put some Cortisone+10. Do not wash with warm water. When you shower, it should be with cool water. And keep wearing sunscreen, especially while burnt. No scrubbing or exfoliating. Only soothing agents. Keep applying aloe vera gel. Jelly products are good soothing agents.
Oh no Miss Bear Cub! It doesn’t look that bad! I used to work at a tanning bed and we’d have people come in all the time freaking out about tan lines. There are some options… you could get a spray tan to even it out, but if you decide to do that… make sure you test it out this week and then get another a day or to before your wedding. (Just so you know how it looks!)
I don’t know how you feel about tanning beds, but you could jump in a few times in a low level bed before the big day.
Make sure you moisturize to prevent as much peeling as you can, although it’s probably inevitable. But I’m sure a little make up on the day of your wedding will be all it takes! I have no doubt that you will be gorgeous on your wedding day!
Good luck, let me know if you have any more questions about spray tan or tanning. I was an expert at giving spray tans!
TWO WORDS: Sour Cream. yes I know it sounds disgusting and it is, but trust me. Slather cold sour cream on your burn and let it dry up. Then do it again. You’ll be ready to go in a day!
Awe poor Miss BC! I hope your sunburn gets better But your faces in this post are adorable hahaha
As a fair-skinned redhead, I know the pain you are in! I didn’t see this remedy suggested yet, and it has worked wonders for me. Cold Milk! Whole milk works best - pour it into a bowl with some ice cubes to keep it nice and cool and soak a washcloth in the bowl. Lay the cloth over the burned areas until the cloth gets warm - repeat for about 20 minutes every hour. This works best when done immediately after the burn so I’m not sure if it will help now, but its worth a shot! Best of luck!
I love Mr. Bearcub’s response!
No matter what you do, DO NOT apply lotion. It makes burns worse. Use aloe and vitamin E.
@Mr. Bear Cub: haha sorry I wasn’t there to hide you from the burns, let me know next time and I’ll be sure to make it :)
Ohh no!! I’m sorry!! I wish I had some magical cure to share with you! - I’m 100% positive you’ll be a sexy bride 
HUGS!!! my heart goes out to you =(
Everyone’s got such great advice … try everything and keep us posted!!! If anything, your makeup artist should be able to do something =( GOOD LUCK~~
First take a damp cool wash cloth and place it on your sunburn. When the wash cloth is no longer cool wet it again with cold water and repeat. It sucks the heat out of your skin and replaces it with moisture. After than apply aloe every day repeatedly and religiously. Several times a day. Doesnt have to be a lot each time, just do it often. Also take advil. That pretty much makes mine go away within a week. Good luck!
Poor Bear Cub! It’s okay! Everything’s going to work out and you’re going to have the most awesome tan/ glow ever! Good thoughts
Oh nooooo! 2 weeks is enough time to get rid of that red/tan! It’ll be ok!
Oh No bear cub! 2 weeks s a lot of time though! You might be okay!
And super Congrats on getting through a marathon!
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Mrs. Cub, Chile/Portland
Age and Occupation: 26, Astronomer
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Astronomer
Engagement Date: May 10, 2008
Wedding Date: September 2009
Venue: Westwind YWCA camp
About Me: I'm a small-town girl who's making a living in Chile, with her heart in the Pacific Northwest. I grew up in Southern California, went to high school in Texas, grad school in New Mexico, and now I can't wait to settle down in Oregon! I love pears, hazelnuts,
knitting, traveling, running, baking, and long talks on the phone with
good friends. I'm planning my Oregon coast summer camp wedding while
abroad with my best friend - I'm always at home when I'm with him!
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